The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-11-04
An Amazing Adventure With a
Tiger.

W hltc }, and is there was no hurry about
the work our party was as much a hunt
ing As a surveying party. We numbered
about 3S people, ten of whom were white
men. Owing TO the difficulties OF IN,
country We hal no saddle horses, but
TOOK along six or eight pack animals. and
each native also had Al pack To bear The
very t.....tuitIes IL the way Of bui,lir- a
line made the country i Sportsnldfi's
paradise Twenty years ago there was
more wild and savage game TO the acre
IN that district than elsewhere south of
Lucknow, but the march of civilization
has doubtless driven the big wild game
away by this time.
We We're travelling along the north
branch OF the Gadavey River-Sometimes
upon Its bank and again couple OF miles
from the water, sometimes travelling five
or six miles a day, and again haltny for
couple OF days 10 fish or shOot-whcn
most singular incident befcll me indi-
vidually. | had left camp at IN early
hour in the morning to fish. While /
carried my rifle with me, had no inteu-
ton OF going out OF my way TO find game.
On the previous afternoon had observed
what seemed TO be 4 capital fishing spot
In bend Of the river, and il was to this
place l hastcned as / left camp Some
OF the native servants were astir and saw
me set out, but | did not want their ser
vices, Ii was pretty thick jungle between
the camp and the bend, but at the bend
there was clear spot an acre in extent
with heavy forest growth and ledge
of rocks for a background. As | took
look aronnd before sitting down on the
bank To my sport | remarked that il WAS
good spot for wild beasts, but as there
WAS nothing moving | went right to work
with my fishing tackle. Catching a frog
Tor bait, | flung in the hook, and il wasn't
five minutes before / was meeting with
such luck that all thoughts of tigers,
snakes, and hyenas were driven out OF
my mind.
] had landed half dozen good-sized
fish, and WAS just then playing 4 larger
one; when a slight noise startled me. and
/ looked around TO see such 4 sight as
has seldom come to the ewes OF a sports
man. A full-Grown tiger was within five
lect OF me, playing with one OF the fish
II was the laSt fish pulled out, and in its
dying aSonies 1t was jumping about on
the grass. Every time il moved the tiger
would reach out paw In playful way,
and once or twice he struck hard enough
TO move the fish three or four feet |
tell You / was badly frightened man,
and all | could do was to sit there with
mouth and eyes open. The tiger had
crept down from the bluffs and why he
hadn't attacked me was a mystery. He
went from fish 10 fish, turning them over
with his paw, and time and again brush
ing me with his tail as he moved about
My rifle was ten feet away, leaning
against bush, and 1 might have been
idiot enough to try to reach it but for a
warning. My personal servant had fol-
lowed me, TO see what luck | had. He
came into the ncighborhoOd while the
tiger was PLAYING with the fish, and,
softly climbing a tree he uttered the call
OF bird TO attract my attention, and
then sang out:
"Do nothing 10 provoke the tiger,
master He is hiloJcceie, and If you do
not cross him he will go away"
He meant that the spirit of a good
native had been transformed, and it was
clearly the commOn-scnse way to follow
his advice. AS the beast gave me no at
tentiun, L turned to the fish Juggling at
my line and landed him. He was Of
good size and full OF vitality, and the tiger
waited in q playful way until ! removed
the hook and threw the fish on the grass.
Then he sprang for it as a kitten would
for a ball of yarn, and he played with it
in the same way. 1t was laughablc, in
spite of the circumstances, TO witness
his actions. He would run around in
circles, a. you have seen young dog do,
sometimes almost leapIng over me, and
then again he would become the cat and
creep softly forward 10 bounce upon one
flung to him, and 1t was a full half hour
befor,. lac grew tired of the sport. l ex-
pected he would turn to me sooner or
later, but the native saw the change of
dcm-anor first and called:
"Mastcr. the hilOrelrs is going to play
with you! BE as clay in his power"
The tiger suddenly left the last fish
landed, and came stalking up 10 me,
purring like cat and acting very play
ful. His first move was To worm his
head under my left arm, and, I'm telling
Won the solemn truth when | say that /
smoothed down his fur as If he had been
favOrite dog. / had on a big straw hat,
and this he got hold of in his teeth and
played with for ten minutes, or until he
had torn il all to pieces. had no more
bait TO fish with, and drew in the line,
and sat there waiting for the tigers next
move. When he had finished the hat,
he came over and rubbed against me,
and parred in pleased way, and | rub
bed him with my hand from nose TO tail.
/ gradually got over my scare, but was
vet very anxious 10 know how the affair
would end. The sun was getting we'll up
and very hot, and the beast would soon
be seeking his lair. In about thirty
minutes from the time he appeared the
tiger BEGAN to show a change OF demca-
nor. He acted nervous and uneasy, and
the hair on his back stood up at inter
walls. / Judged that he had got the scent
of my servant, and such proved TO be the
case.
/ dared not rise TO my feet, but made
up my mind that if the tiger attacked me
j should make a spring OIL the bank into
the river 1t was infested with croco-
diles. but there was not much choice be
tween being eaten by beast or saurian.
Once the tiger glared at me and growlcd,
but next moment whlncd rs II afraid,
and edged up toward me as If for protcc-
ton. The servant had been keeping 4
watchful eve on my strange playmate,
and he now believed the time had come
for decisive action. He therefore fired
his pistol ami shouted n the top Of his
voice The effect WAS immediate. The
beast dropped his tail, uttered a long
drawn whine. and with a sort OF farewell
| glance at me he bolted Tor the forest and
| disappearcd. ! had looked him over
pretty well, and had noticed among other
things, that he had Il broken claw on the
right paw.
We did not break camp that day. Just
before sunset, aS We sat in groups smok-
ing our pipes, tiger charged boldly in
| among the servants and seized one and
ATTEMPTED TO make off. We rallied to
prevent, and the beast knocked two other
| men over before he was despatched
! When we came To examine the body
! had not the slightest difficulty in idcnti
fying it as that oy my playmate OF tn,
! morning.